The Seattle Seahawks open the 2013 season with more anticipation than any season opener in recent memory. Even in their NFC championship season of 2005, when they were coming off their third division title in team history, there was a bad aftertaste the way they closed the 2004 season with a playoff loss to the St. Louis Rams, giving them an 0-3 season mark in that rivalry. Since their Super Bowl loss to Pittsburgh at the end of 2005, Seattle has made the playoffs only four times and not returned to the NFC title game let alone the Super Bowl.
In this year's opener, Seattle faces the Carolina Panthers, not exactly a great first test for a team with Super Bowl hopes. The Panthers, who will be at home, are coming off a 7-9 season, showing steady improvement since their 2-14 season in 2010. A 1995 expansion team, the Panthers reached the Super Bowl before Seattle despite the Seahawks 19-year head start. Oddly, despite three NFC title-game appearances, Carolina has never put ba...

You'll
also
receive Yardbarker's daily Top 10, featuring the best sports stories from around the web.
Customize your newsletter to get articles on your favorite sports and teams. And the best part? It's free!

Company Info

Help

What is Yardbarker?

Yardbarker is the largest network of sports blogs and pro athlete blogs on the web. This site is the hub of the Yardbarker Network, where our editors and algorithms curate the best sports content from our network and beyond.